Open source project to develop geopolymer cast stone construction

A Blueprint for a Climate Friendly Cement Industry

The continued growth of key world economies results in an increasing demand for construction materials. As a consequence, the global production of cement in 2030 is projected to grow to a level roughly five times higher than its level in 1990, with close to 5 billion tonnes worldwide [1]. This has a significant impact on the overall level of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as the production of each tonne of cement leads to emissions of roughly 0.89 tonnes of carbon dioxide [2]. As a consequence, the emissions of the global cement sector alone are very likely to surpass the total amount of CO2 emissions of the EU before 2030. This report attempts to identify the drivers of this process and explore options to mitigate emissions.

Figure 1.a shows the rapid expansion of global cement production since 1990, which mainly stems from production increases in China. The viewgraph also shows projected future increases of cement production. Many new cement plants are going to be built in the next decade, especially in developing countries. Their lifespan will probably exceed 40 years. In a future carbon constrained world, the profitability of individual plants will depend on their CO2 intensity. Significant emissions reductions at existing plants by improving the technology and operating practices are achievable. The accelerated closure of outdated plants with low efficiency can also make substantial contributions to emission reductions.